Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The first table below shows changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The second and third tables show changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 7.0)
The first table highlights the increase in total inhabitants of New York City during a timespan of 200 years, more specifically from 1800 to 2000. The two other tables illustrate the difference in population from five districts of the city, covering the same time period.
Overall, the population has rapidly risen in the last 200 years, especially in districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. However, the percentage of the total population of Manhattan has plunged down.
Firslty, the table of New York City which combines all five disctricts, depicts an enormous change in its population. In 1800, the population was around 79000 inhabitants and in a span of 200 years, this number has increased to 8 million people. The second table highlights a more specific disctrict: Manhattan. While Manhanttan initally had a population of approximately 60000, it has grown to 1.5 million citizens by 2000. However its percentage of total population has declined. At first, Manhattan took up 76% of the total population of New York City, it has now decreased to only 19%. Lastly, the third table highlights the population of the other districts. In these districts, the population has risen as well as its percentage of total population. With an initial population of 18000 people in 1800 and a 24% of total population, the amount of citizens is now at more than 6 million while having more than tripled its percentage which is now at 81%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the tables, including the total population changes and the breakdown between Manhattan and the other districts from 1800 to 2000. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the rapid population growth overall and the significant shift in Manhattan's percentage share. Key figures are accurately selected, such as the rise from approximately 79,000 to 8 million for the total city population, and the percentage changes for Manhattan (falling from 76% to 19%) and the other districts (rising from 24% to 81%). The information is well-supported by data from the visual reference without major omissions or inaccuracies.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The text is logically organised with a clear progression from an introduction to an overview, followed by detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overall trends from the specific numerical data. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'However', 'While', and 'Lastly'. However, there are minor cohesion and referencing flaws, such as the slightly mechanical sequencing in the final paragraph ('Firslty... the second table... Lastly, the third table'). Nonetheless, the overall structure and logical flow remain clear throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The candidate uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, including appropriate terms like 'inhabitants', 'timespan', 'plummeted', and 'percentage'. There are occasional spelling errors, such as 'Firslty' instead of 'Firstly', 'disctricts' instead of 'districts', and 'Manhanttan' instead of 'Manhattan'. Despite these minor slips and occasional repetitive phrasing (e.g., repeating 'total population'), the lexical resource is sufficient to convey the information clearly and attempts some less common vocabulary with general precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses ('While Manhattan initally had a population of approximately 60000, it has grown to 1.5 million citizens by 2000'). There are some minor grammatical and mechanical errors, including punctuation omissions around introductory clauses, spelling mistakes, and minor tense inconsistencies. However, these errors are relatively infrequent and do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the data points being reported.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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